Adivasi student leader shot dead in Assam

The president of the All-Adivasi Students' Association Assam (AASAA), Bosco Chermaco, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in lower Assam's Kokrajhar district on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at Jacobpur when he was driving back home at Gosaigaon town in a car with his wife and father in-law.

Police said two motorcycle borne youth pumped bullets from an AK-47 assault rifle from close range killing Mr. Chermaco on the spot.

His wife Rosebela Tudu and father-in-law A. Tudu had a close shave when bullets missed them narrowly.

While three bullets hit the Adivasi student leader, police recovered an empty cartridge, 14 live rounds of AK-47 ammunition, a helmet and a bag from the spot.

A Personal Security Officer (PSO) provided to Mr. Chermaco was not present at the time of incident, which occurred around 9 a.m. A senior police official said it was being ascertained why the PSO was not accompanying the student leader. Police also suspect the incident could be a “political murder.”